MacLean, Gerald, editor. The Return of the King : An Anthology of English Poems Commemorating the Restoration
of Charles II / edited by Gerald MacLean
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library

Collop had earlier addressed Charles in "To the Son of the Late King" included in his 1656 volume, Poesis Rediviva: Or, Poesie Reviv'd. The piece argues for stoical self-sufficiency and acceptance -- better to be content with one's lot in life than to have the worries of a king -- while at the same time focussing on the author's hopes that Charles will restore the national Church.

Notice Collop's early concern that not all might be as enthusiastic about the return to monarchy as the author would wish.

Date: References to the celebrations accompanying Charles's arrival in London (lines 25-48) were clearly written after the fact, so I have placed this poem among those issued during June.

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ATheism away, twin to Rebellion hence, 'Bove fraud and force acquires, see, providence! Charl's the Church Gold, Gods Image, see! returnd Through all the fiery trialls shines unburn'd. 5: Kings are Gods Christs; Charls Christ-like doth appear For Reformation in His Thirtieth Year. The day which brought him forth, him in doth bring Gives both new life to th'people and the King.

To our conversion now Rome lay no claim 10: Monck, Austine, Patrick nor Palladius name; Three more then Pagan Nations now we see Can by a Monck of ours Converted be. Nay your three, Spain, France, Italy, are out done Though every Monck is there a Champion. 15: One EnglishMonck hath here converted more, Then all your Moncks perverted heretofore.

Spare Honest Heilin, spare thy learned pains To vindicate St. George from addle brains. 1We for our Champion now no Champion need, 20: St. George for England wants no Roman Creed. This is the George, defeats the Dragons Sting; The Church relieves the daughter of the King. Could we with Calvin stories faith deny What he calls fable, wee'd call Prophecie.

25: Make Bone-fires bigger, purge th'infected air, Least Treason like a Plague inhabit there. Rebellion's Witchcraft, Witchlike may't expire, And th' Land her sin thus expiate by fire. Nor must the Bells be wanting to the aire; 30: Least with their Prince 2 schisms spirits wander there. While you your safety, and our Kings Proclaim, Churches no more we'le common places name.

Flowers 3 strow the way, with Charls was born the spring Twill 4 flourish and return with him our King. 35: I'th Winter of his absence who lay dead, How the Gay Butterflyes in troops 5 now spread? See! how the gaudy Anticks do appear, In masking liveries 6 of the youthfull year. None fear to spend all, but cry Charls is come: 40: Charls is our all and all, to every Summe.

A Golden Age in Charls is sure foretold, Whose sight can change ev'n City Chains to Gold. How they all glister, that it may appear, Safety like heav'n is never bought too dear? 45: At the Cits lost 7 shall now be spilt no blood, But whats of Grape, which issuing by a flood From every Conduit, proclaims Charls divine, Who Saviour like, turnes Water into Wine.

Glorious as Princes, if not Angels all? Who Englands9 King will King of Devills call. See! How the 10Spaniard to Charls tribute pays, 60: While each on's back, a petty Indie lais. Nor art thou lesse a tributary France, While these thy apes present a Morrice dance. Or ist an heavenly 11 influence? the whole 12 traine, Thus sparkles to be Stars in Charls his Waine.

65: Yet see Great Charls not fit for vulgar eyes, Like to 13 Divinity Couch'd in mysteries! Nature hath seem'd to place him in disguise, Whose inside glories all outsides outvies. Glories that ly no deeper then a skin, 70: Are not for Princes, their's must ly within. God his own Character doth on Princes Write, He rob'd Divinity call'd Gods shadow light.

All Characters are libels, who'de set forth Charls, is a Traytor to impeach his worth: 75: Since praises must fall short, expressions be But the faint shaddows of Divinitie. Had not the Churches Martyr 14 great Charls shown, Himself by's Scripture, he had dy'd unknown. Now we a David read and Solomon80: Without their bad, all they had good in one.

The Blood of Martyrs is the Churches seed: Tis 15Charls his blood for th'Church must interceed. The heir of's virtues and his kingdoms be The worlds reformer by a Prophecie; 85: No Pilfring Charls of Suevia, 16 his glory Did only blaze to light us to thy story. Charls from Charls must be greatest of that name: They'r gayer acts, but lacquey 'fore his fame.

Haile Charles the second; second unto none: 90: The fifth falls short brought in comparison: 17Greater then Charls the first 18 sirnam'd the great; The Pope of more then he him gave defeat: So the most Christian King, most Catholick 19 too And Faiths Defender will all meet in you. 95: Charls by the Grace of God thou'lt truly be, Tis 20 meerly Gods 21 Grace hath restored 22 thee:

How do the Branches of the Royall Oak Now flourish, and nere fear the axes 23 strok! Under Presbytery 24 will these gay things truckle? 100: From Lords the mighty twindle to the muckle? Sneak to the Commons, and there serve to show For their deserts no House can be to low. The Lords are grains to ballance th'royall scale: If they prove light the Rabble must prevaile.

105: Who in the Church will parity introduce Shame in the State, preheminence out of use; The wiser Lords who Voted Bishops down, Casheir'd th'lesse sacred titles of their own. Uselesse, and senseless, how should they not fall, 110: Who had renounc'd their part spirituall. They their own fortunes fence about in vain, Who lay in common sacred and prophane.

May't in no Lord be treason to be wise? Nor th'beast the Rabble want a Sacrifice. 115: May Ag'd have Bristols, 25 young Lords, Bruces26 parts: The Lord Cleavelands, 27 brave Northamptons28 hearts; No Bedfords wanting be to th'Councill table; Strange faults in son and father to 29 be able. So shall no Comets rear'd from fat of Earth 120: Presage Kings ruine, or the peoples dearth.

May th'House of Commons be no Juglers box: The steeples not mens heads 30 have weather-cocks With every wind of fancy to turn round. Where all are giddy, how can truth be found? 125: No Cock-braind sciolists factions may promote Leave real truths on aoery names to dote. So Sacriledge no more shall priviledge be: Nor to be slaves the peoples libertie.

May none by house of Commons understand 130: The place and fate of those devoure the Land. No Tax succeed a fast, first fast then prey: Not pray and fast; fasts make the stomachs way. A strange contrivance thus to gain a power Three Nations fat, by fasting to devour. 135: Pray like the thief, a blessing on th'Vocation: Steal and give thanks for robbery 31 of a Nation.

May Burgers mind the trade of Corporations, And make no more a traffick of three Nations. Nor their Elections be so numerous made 140: Three Lands seem slaves to Free-men of a Trade. Since here not wisdoms are, but voices weigh'd: Folly and Factions Votes must be obey'd. May they procure good laws, then Charls supply With that, he to his people is, a subsidie.

145: May aery misteries 32 ne're unhinge their pates, Should pry in misteries of trade not states. The cause, the cause, hence fears, hence Jealousies, Who think Stars twinkle, tis their weaker eyes. May all have noble fears, fears to do ill: 150: Be jealous too, least treason lurk there still. The Prince have fears, and Jealousies to 33 intrust Those gratefy not reason 34 but their lust.

Barbarous 35 as their own Latin, or Law French, No fee tongu'd 36 Lawyer here on Laws intrench; 155: Faction and treason mould in forms of Law: Prove th'Lawyers anagram true, that Lyers aw. May Loyall Laws, late Common-place-Book's pains Receive no common place as loyall gains. For what is due on the disloyall score 160: May he his own works read, and write no more.

The proud Church sinn'd, the Vandall, Goth, and HunAngry heav'ns scourges in the Scot o'rerun The Bishops wore Lawn Sleeves, bless us! the Nun Doth make these Lawns they'r works of Babylon, 165: The Church is rich: how can an Achan hold From Babylonish garments and from Gold. But see the fruits! These with the Eagle snatch Coals from the Altar which their own nests catch. 37

Lord from the Altar touch all with a coal 170: Which to they service may inflame the soul: None then shall Organs hate, all Organs be; Made instrumentall in the serving thee. No nose tun'd Pardon th'Pulpit shall be labour With noise resembling the Scotch Pipe and Tabor. 175: No pulpits shall vie tricks with Hocus Pocus Truths rais shall clear them, that no Scotch myst choak us.

Scipture no more shall wrack'd be to professe Her self to all impietie patronesse. To fall on times, no Priest shall leave his Text: 180: First divide that, and then the people next. Cloaks for their Knavery 38 now no pulpits need: Arms shall give place to Gowns, while errors bleed. The Militant Church with Charls went in exile, But now returns inrich'd with Egypts spoile.

185: No more shall Gypsies in Religion 39 be The statutes unrepeal'd, can these go free? The Canting Vagrants in opinions, doom >Must Gypsie like to be with passe sent home. Send them to Italy; take them Florentine: 190: By Nicks discourses they should all be thine, All Common wealths men: ours was commonwealth By knack of zeal an artificiall Health.

No Presbyterian shall run out of's wits, And introdu'ce again Phanatick fits. 195: By looser Prayers intitling to the sp'rite Out of their senses three whole Kingdoms fright. With humms, hah, whine, and a nose tuned story, Wry neck, scru'd face, made for a Directory. Gods name as oft in vain us'd as in charms, 200: The People to bewitch into all harms.

With Jacobs voice may none have Esaus hands: None Bishops hate, because they love their lands. Nor may long prayers 40 the widows house devour Or Gods house widow make, and seize her dour; 205: Nor by vain babling only serve to show A Babel of confusion thence must grow; Out of the road of Common sense Career, That none may say tis Common-prayer they hear.

Hate our Church forms, least they deliver'd be 210: From pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisie: From envy, hatred, want of charity, From all sedition, and conspiracie; From all false Doctrine, and from heresie; Strange superstition in the Letany: 215: To pray for Charls, and for his victories O're these their sins, his greatest enemies.

Restore Great Charls our Letanies, that we May pray for those, who would not pray for thee: Into the way then shall we God implore, 220: The erred and deceived to restore. Forgive and pray forgiveness: hearts refute Did both us slander, and thee persecute. So we may have restor'd the fruits of th'earth Having of them nor of good prayers a dearth.

225: Then unity, peace, and concord we'le beseech God make up ours, and every Nations breach. Pitty on prisoners, and for Captives pray, Though they were those would take our lives away: Have mercy Lord on all men we beseech. 230: Prayers 41 which exceptions use can ne're heav'n reach. Broke bones may thus rejoyce, knit, grow more strong In wayes of peach, and truth to walk along.